Optical arrangement for a homing head with movable optical elements

Abstract

An optical arrangement ( 2 ) for a homing head ( 16 ), for the purpose of imaging an object scene onto a detector unit ( 4 ), including a control unit ( 24 ), a first optical unit ( 10 ) having two at least partially transparent optical elements, in particular prisms ( 42, 44 ), a second optical unit ( 14 ) and a beam deflecting unit ( 18 ), the first optical unit ( 10 ) directing radiation from at least two sections of the object scene onto the beam deflecting unit ( 18 ) in a superimposed fashion, and the beam deflecting unit ( 18 ) selecting one of the sections and, in conjunction with the second optical unit ( 14 ), imaging the selected section on the detector unit ( 4 ).

1. Optical arrangement ( 2 ) for a homing head ( 16 ), for imaging an object scene onto a detector unit ( 4 ), comprising a control unit ( 24 ), a first optical unit ( 10 ) having two at least partially transparent optical elements ( 42 ,  44 ), a second optical unit ( 14 ) and a beam deflecting unit ( 18 ), the first optical unit ( 10 ) directing radiation from at least two sections of the object scene onto the beam deflecting unit ( 18 ) in superposition, and the beam deflecting unit ( 18 ) selecting one of the sections and, in conjunction with the second optical unit ( 14 ), imaging the selected section on the detector unit ( 4 ), characterized by a micromechanical movement actuator ( 46 ,  48 ,  50 ), the optical elements being mounted movably relative to one another, and the control unit ( 24 ) driving the movement actuator ( 46 ,  48 ,  50 ) and additionally setting a spacing ( 62 ) between the optical elements. 
     
     
       2. Optical arrangement ( 2 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized by at least three movement actuators ( 46 ,  48 ,  50 ) which are driven independently of each other, the control unit ( 24 ) controlling tilting of the optical elements relative to each other. 
     
     
       3. Optical arrangement ( 2 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized by a detector unit ( 4 ) and means ( 56 ) for determining a position of the image on the detector unit ( 4 ), the control unit ( 24 ) controlling tilting of the optical elements as a function of stipulations received from said means ( 56 ). 
     
     
       4. Optical arrangement ( 2 ) according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the control unit ( 24 ) and the means ( 56 ) determine a position of the image form a control loop. 
     
     
       5. Optical arrangement ( 2 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the optical elements are supported against each other via the movement actuator ( 46 ,  48 ,  50 ). 
     
     
       6. Optical arrangement ( 2 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized by at least two said movement actuators ( 46 ,  48 ,  50 ) which are driven independently of each other. 
     
     
       7. Optical arrangement ( 2 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the control unit ( 24 ) sets spacing ( 62 ) as a function of a prescribed spectral region which as subject to an at least 80 per cent extinction resulting from a multiple interference between the optical elements. 
     
     
       8. Optical arrangement ( 2 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the two optical elements each respectively have a flat surface ( 64 ,  66 ) and the two surfaces ( 64 ,  66 ) are alignable parallel to each other and at a settable spacing ( 62 ) from each other. 
     
     
       9. Optical arrangement ( 2 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the control unit ( 24 ) controls a sequence of tilt positions of the optical elements relative to each other such that the object scene is imaged on the detector unit ( 4 ) in multiple sequence, and in each instance offset from a basic image ( 90 ) by less than one pixel spacing ( 74 ) between two adjacent detector elements ( 76 ,  84 ,  86 ,  88 ) of the detector unit ( 4 ). 
     
     
       10. Optical arrangement ( 2 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized by at least two pairs of said optical elements each having at least one movement actuator ( 46 ,  48 ,  50 ), a first pair of said optical elements being provided for imaging a first section of the object scene, and a second pair of said optical elements being provided for imaging a second section which is different from the first, section of the object scene on the detector unit ( 4 ). 
     
     
       11. Missile homing head having an optical arrangement ( 2 ) according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       12. Optical Arrangement ( 2 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said optical elements ( 42 ,  44 ) comprise prisms.